Obaseki restates commitment to recovering Edo forest belt

Determined to restore the fast disappearing forest belt in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki has canvassed the support of private investors for the Edo State Oil Palm Programme (ESOPP).

Speaking in Benin during the commemoration of Mother Earth Day, Governor Obaseki reminded of the need to restore the earth and ensure the survival of the ecosystem that supports life and living.

He said: “In Edo State, we are committed to protecting our flora and fauna, ensuring that concerted efforts are made to protect biodiversity and sustain our unique ecosystem.”

He noted that the state sits on an exquisite rainforest belt, which affords it the opportunity of exploring the production of cash crops, adding that it will not sacrifice the needs of its communities in the pursuit of commercial gains.

While noting that the COVID-19 global pandemic may have slowed down some of the efforts to preserve the earth, the governor called for more concerted efforts among stakeholders to keep to agreements to protect the earth.

He added: “We have commenced an extensive plantation development plan through the ESOPP and have given out over 40,000 hectares of land to private investors to grow oil palm.

“However, because we are careful about the impact of these activities on the environment and the earth, we mandated that the investors should develop the depleting forest belts along with the communities where they are developing the plantation.”

The governor who solicited more support for the government’s reforestation effort tasked investors with the need to commit to sustaining the forest belt and preserving the ecosystem.

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